Slow cookers are fantastic for hands-0ff cooking, and not just for savory comfort food! Slow Cooker Light Almond Milk Tapioca Pudding is a creamy, filling classic dessert changed up to be dairy-free and easy in the crock pot!
This post is sponsored by Silk. All opinions are my own.
Something I love about January is the opportunity for reinvention. I'm not a diligent resolution-maker but do feel the effects of beginning a new year. A bit like completing a chapter in a book, when the last page turns everything does feel fresh. It's a natural time for reflection, renewed resolve about healthy habits developed over the prior year as well as trying on new things (like the Slow Cooker Light Almond Milk Tapioca Pudding), experimenting, and freshening-up life a bit.
I keep a running mental list of new things I want to try and foods I want to make. I find I can get into a rut like a trail horse walking the same route repeatedly day after day. Routine does not play to my strengths and I'm most happy when mixing things up. Lately I've wanted to incorporate more healthy plant-based options into our family diet for the health benefits but also to stretch my knowledge and recipe options.
Plant-based recipes include dessert: Slow Cooker Light Almond Milk Tapioca Pudding!
I've always felt best with a high amount of plants in my diet but that gets off kilter during the holidays. The fact that chocolate comes from a plant seems to migrate it into that category as well! I'm starting my year off eating lower fat, lower sugar foods and focusing on natural whole foods. Another goal of mine is to get smarter about is time; I simply don't have enough of it. I want to develop unique recipes and meals which offer flavor and nutrition without hours of preparation.
I needed to whip up a dessert for this week and candidly am burnt out on rich, decadent sweets. My family loves Tapioca which I don't make often not wishing to stand over the stove attending to it’s demands. I decided to change it up in a few ways. First off I made it in the slow cooker; perfect!
No slaving over the stove. And secondly, instead of cow milk I used Silk's Almondmilk Light which has a 1/3 fewer calories than the original almond milk. Almond milk has sweetener added so the amount of sugar needed in the tapioca is reduced. The Slow Cooker Light Almond Milk Tapioca Pudding was born!
Cows Milk vs Silk Almondmilk
Out of curiosity I compared the nutritional content of Low Fat Cow Milk and Almondmilk Light to learn for a 1 cup serving both the low fat cow milk and Silk Almondmilk Light have 2 grams of fat, however the Almondmilk Light has only 5 grams of overall Carbohydrate (low fat cow milk = 13 grams), 0 cholesterol (low fat cow milk = 12 mg) and 40 calories (low fat cow milk = 102).
Normally I make tapioca with whole cow milk (higher in fat and calories than low fat cow milk), so I was excited about the idea of reducing the fat and getting the calories and cholesterol down from my usual on-stove recipe. The texture of this recipe just as creamy as the original old-school tapioca we all love !
How to make Slow Cooker Light Almond Milk Tapioca Pudding:
One would never guess this effortless recipe for classic Slow Cooker Light Almond Milk Tapioca Pudding recipe did not require you to slave over a hot stove!
Prepared in the slow cooker, this almond milk tapioca requires little attention and turns out like our favorite comfort food desert should! It’s creamy and satisfying. Made lighter with non-dairy light Almond Milk, it’s as creamy as ever with less calories too.
How to make Slow Cooker Light Almond Milk Tapioca Pudding – Step by Step:
Spray the insert of a slow cooker and add the sugar, almond milk and tapioca pearls. Stir to combine. It cooks on low for three hours (OR until the tapioca has become transparent), being stirred once per hour to keep the tapioca pearls and liquid incorporated.
How to add Eggs to the Tapioca to Prevent Scrambling:
The eggs and vanilla are combined in a medium mixing bowl and whisked together. One cup of the tapioca mixture is taken from the slow cooker; half is added to the egg mixture and whisked together. The remaining half cup is then added and whisked together. NOTE: if the egg mixture is added directly to the slow cooker, the eggs will scramble.
The egg/tapioca mixture is added back to the slow cooker to cook an additional 30 minutes. Remove the almond milk tapioca from the slow cooker and chill until set!
More Dairy Free Desserts You'll Love:
- Triple Chocolate Wacky Cake with Chocolate-Stuffed Raspberries (Allergy-Friendly)
- Slow Cooker Pumpkin Spice Tapioca Pudding (vegan)
- Rich Chocolate Cherry Brownie Pots (allergy-friendly)
If you've tried this Slow Cooker Light Almond Milk Tapioca Pudding or any other recipe on BoulderLocavore.com please don't forget to rate the recipe and let me know where you found it in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I'm up to!
Recipe
Slow Cooker Light Almond Milk Tapioca Pudding {dairy-free}
Ingredients
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar
- 3 ½ cups Light Almond Milk (to make pudding even creamier, 4 cups may be used)
- ½ cup small Tapioca Pearls
- 2 eggs , room temperature; lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Lightly spray the insert of the slow cooker. Add the sugar, almond milk and tapioca pearls, whisk together.
- Cook on Low for 3 hours or until tapioca pearls are transparent. Stir once and hour to keep tapioca mixed in with the liquid.
- Place the lightly beaten eggs and the vanilla extract into a medium mixing bowl. Remove 1 cup of the tapioca mixture from the slow cooker and add ½ cup to the eggs; whisk briskly to mix together. Add the remaining ½ cup and whisk again. Add the mixture back into the slow cooker to cook 30 additional minutes. Note: if eggs are added directly to the slow cooker mixture they will scramble.
- Remove tapioca and chill to fully set.
Phoebe @ Feed Me Phoebe says
I really love that this tapioca pudding can be made with a slow cooker! The use of almond milk to make it dairy-free is great too. xo
Toni Dash says
My feelings exactly Phoebe!
Danae @ Recipe Runner says
I love tapioca pudding but have never tried to make it on my own. I’m definitely trying your version! I love that it’s dairy free and uses almond milk, love that stuff!
Toni Dash says
You’ll love the ease of making it with a slow cooker Danae. Stirring once and hour let’s you have your life back!
heather @french press says
this sounds out of this world good! and I LOVE that you made it in the slow cooker
Toni Dash says
I’m loving anything I can make in my slow cooker these days Heather! So many ways to keep things healthy and great tasting….and easy!
Cookin Canuck says
I love the feeling of a new year, too. My greatest pleasure on January 1st is opening my new planner for the year and filling in the blank pages. This pudding is something my kids would love and how great that it can be made in the slow cooker!
Toni Dash says
My kids love it too Dara. I love that it can be made in the slow cooker AND that it’s effortless and able to be made with non-dairy milks. Great for those dairy-free.
Julia says
This is too cool!!! Tapioca pudding was always one of my favorites growing up, and I love that you made this in a crock pot AND with almond milk – so easy and tasty!! I’ll be trying this out for sure!! Hope your New Year is going well so far!
Toni Dash says
Isn’t it funny Julia how we all associate Tapioca with our childhoods and no one makes it when they ‘grow up’?! It bears that comforting feeling of childhood I think too. The slow cooker is a life changer for this recipe. Anything I can throw in and forget is a winner for me! Happy New Year to you too!
Anne-Marie @ This Mama Cooks! On a Diet says
I love tapioca, but never thought about making it in a slow cooker. Maybe this way I won’t burn it!
Toni Dash says
Ha, ha! I won’t burn (knock wood) and is effortless really. Spraying the slow cooker first helps with any potential sticking too.
Claire Walter says
I have my daily (organic and unsweetened) cereal with Silk low-fat soy milk. Never tried their almond milk. So your recipe inspires me to A) give almond milk a try and B) try cooking with a dairy-free “milk.” Maybe B will even be tapioca pudding — and the slow cooker suggestions makes that more likely. Thanks.
Toni Dash says
I will admit I was a reluctant adopter of plant milks Claire. Soy was the first (also Silk’s organic unsweetened) but frankly I had an image of a bean being ‘milked’ I could not rid from my brain. Once over that I’ve loved experimenting with the different milks in ice cream, soups, smoothies and just drinking. Like many ingredients, they are all different vs how we think of cow milk as all the same (except for the flavor differences based on fat content). I love Silk’s integrity about their ingredient quality and conservation too.
Liz says
A great recipe. Thanks so much.
Toni Dash says
You are so welcome Liz!
Christie - Food Done Light says
I haven’t had tapioca in years. Now I want it right now!
Toni Dash says
It’s one of those foods isn’t it Christie?
Kristen @ A Mind Full Mom says
My dad use to request Tapioca Pudding growing up all the time. I have not had this in years, but seeing this recipe brought back great memories and I can’t wait to try this version. Pinned!
Toni Dash says
Isn’t it funny that we all remember it from childhood but don’t make it as adults?! Now that problem is solved with the slow cooker!